What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Process Engineer position at MS Companies?
MS Companies is seeking a highly skilled Senior Process Engineer – Seats Production for a high-pay Contract-to-Hire opportunity in Northern Indiana. This role is responsible for analyzing, designing, and improving automotive seating manufacturing processes to optimize efficiency, quality, safety, and cost performance.
About the Role
The ideal candidate will bring deep automotive manufacturing experience, strong industrial engineering expertise, and a proven track record of driving lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives in high-volume production environments. This position works cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Automation teams to support new product launches, capacity expansion, and ongoing operational excellence initiatives.
Responsibilities
Process Design & Optimization
- Develop and improve manufacturing processes for efficiency, quality, and cost reduction
- Conduct time studies, work measurement, and line balancing
- Implement Lean methodologies including Kaizen, 5S, SMED, and waste elimination
Layout & Material Flow
- Design and optimize plant layouts and workstation ergonomics
- Improve material flow and logistics using Kanban and JIT systems
- Enhance space utilization and production workflow efficiency
Capacity Planning & Resource Management
- Perform capacity analysis, forecasting, and production planning
- Plan manpower, equipment, and tooling requirements for programs
- Support capital equipment justification and investment planning
Continuous Improvement & Cost Reduction
- Identify and implement process improvement opportunities
- Reduce scrap, cycle time, and operational waste
- Monitor KPIs including OEE, throughput, and productivity metrics
Quality & Safety Integration
- Ensure compliance with quality standards and manufacturing procedures
- Integrate safety and ergonomic considerations into process design
- Support root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives
New Program Support
- Participate in DFM/DFA reviews
- Support launch readiness and process validation
- Develop PFMEA, SOPs, and work instructions
Qualifications
- 12 years of automotive manufacturing experience with Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience)
- Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and ERP system experience required
- Automotive OEM Seating experience strongly preferred
- Experience in JIT manufacturing environments preferred
Required Skills
- Strong understanding of industrial engineering principles and production systems
- Expertise in process optimization, line balancing, and capacity analysis
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and production planning tools
Preferred Skills
- Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration abilities
- Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing plant environment
Pay range and compensation package
Up to $80/hr Contract-to-Hire. Opportunity for long-term conversion based on performance and business needs. High-visibility role impacting production performance and new program launches. Work within a leading automotive seating manufacturing environment.
Apply Now!!!